Dump cart mechanism



Nov. 2, 1954 F. A. MAXWELL DUMP CART MECHANISM Filed March 8, 1949 H I KI nib 5 I IIIIHIIIIIIIM IN V EN TOR.

F atented Nov. 2, 1954 DUMP CART MECHANISM Frank A. Maxwell, SanLeandro, Calif.

Application March 8, 1949, Serial No. 80,176

2 Claims. (Cl. 298--5) This invention relates to childrens toy vehiclesand particularly to those of the dump type. Vehicles such dump cart ofthe character described which is adapted as wheeled carts, trucks andsmiliar toys which duplicate the dumping action of the large trucks usedby industry are very popular with small childern. They are likewiserecommended by educators for they are stimulating to the imagination andwhen so designed as to perform the dumping operation easily anddependably despite the hard usage normally encountered, they give thechild a great sense of satisfaction for doing a job which to him isequivalent to that performed by full size trucks. Accordingly, thenearer the dumping action of the toy truck or other vehicle may approachthat of industrial size trucks the greater is the pleasure to be derivedby the child.

In anlyzing the details of operation of a commercial dump truck, forexample, in an effort to provide a counterpart for child use, one findsthat two salient features must be incorporated if the miniature vehicleis to fully satisfy the child mind. The front end of the body portion ofthe vehicle must move upwardly from its normal position of rest on thevehicle frame and this operation must be controlled by the vehicleoperator without changing his normal position of control with respect tothe vehicle. These requirements hold regardless of the type of vehicleunder consideration. Thus in certain prior art construction of which Iam aware, the dumping action is as stated. However, the control of suchaction has been centered at or near the drivers seat of such vehiclefollowing the teaching of the commerical design.

Such known designs have been faulty in their latter aspect, since theproblem was solved from the adult rather than the child point of view.In pull toys such as two wheeled carts or four wheeled wagons, forexample, the child would have to leave his position in front of thevehicle to operate whatever cranks, etc. located usually in front of thebody to effect the dumping operation. While the miniature vehicle wouldtherefore be a simplified facsimile of a full size vehicle in the eyesof an adult, from the standpoint of operation the necessary change inposition would subtly make known to the child that his dump vehicle didnot perform the same operation in the same way and his regard for thetoy would suffer accordingly.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a toy vehicle ofthe dump type in which the dumping operation is controlled from thenormal position of the child in front of the vehicle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a toy vehicle of thedump type in which the dumping operation is controlled by means which isclosely adjacent the handle or other means provided for moving thevehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy vehicle of the dumptype in which the child may vary the angle of inclination of the vehiclebody without changing his position with respect to the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy vehicle of the dumptype in which the body will remain at a selected angle of inclinationafter movement thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy vehicle of thedump type in which the control means for the dumping operation extendsparallel to and closely adjacent the vehicle handle and includes noprojecting parts which might interfere with the movement of the vehicleor constitute a hazard for the child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a childs cal position soas to facilitate storage of the cart.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a childs dump cartwhich is extremely simple in construction, low in cost and yet operateswith a high degree of effectiveness.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Reference is now made to the drawing in which Figure 1 is a sideelevational view of the dump cart of this invention with the dump bodyin lowered posi-' tion,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 1 but showing thecart body in elevated or dumping position,

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but taken from the underside ofFigure 3 and with the outer end of Y the handle portion broken away, and

Figure 5 is an end elevation of my improved dump cart and is taken fromthe right side of Figure l.

The invention will be more reaidly understood by first considering thechassis, as it may be termed, of the dump. cart with the use of thisterm applying to these portions of the vehicle which support the bodylater to be described. Attention is directed therefore to Figure 4 whichshows a laterally disposed axle 1 on which are rotatable wheels 2 and 3upon cylindrical terminal portions thereof as will readily beunderstood. in the interest of economy of manufacture and hence theutilization of wood rather than metal in so far as possible, I prefer tomake the axle 1 rectangular as viewed from the rear of the cart (Figure5) in order to simplify the union thereto of contiguous parts now to bedetailed. The axle terminal portions, therefore, are preferably made asdowels inserted into suitable recesses with which the axle 1 isprovided.

inwardly of the axle terminal portions referred to above and spaced fromthe wheels 2 and 3 by suitable means such as washers 4 are uprightmembers 5 and 6 which serve to pivotally support the body of the cart aswill later be described. Upright members 5 and 6 are generallyrectangular as viewed in side elevation (Figure l) and are of somewhatgreater width than the axle 1 in order to provide a sturdy body pivotthat will not be subject to splitting in normal use. Such members aresuitably united to the parallel side portions of axle 1' (Figure 5) fora major portion of their length as by nailing with a considerable upperportion thereof remaining unobstructed to leave unhampered the dumpingaction of the body.

Extending normally from the axle 1 in spaced relation and midway of thewheels 2 and 3 is a pair of guide members 7 and 8 which also aresuitably united to the axle 1 as appears from Figure 4. Guide members 7and 8 are of generally rectangular shape and for improved appearancehave their end portions remote from the axle 1 rounded as is apparentfrom Figure 1. The vertical extent of guide members 7 and 8 issufficient to provide a passageway that is normal with respect to thewheels 2 and 3, of length approaching the length of the guide membersand also of appreciable height. Disposed longitudinally therein at asuitable angle of inclination is a handle or tongue 9 for the dump cartwhich snugly fits the sides of the guide members 7 and 8 and is rigidlyunited thereto. A bar 10 in the form of a dowel is extended through theopposite sides of the remote end of the handle 9 to facilitate pullingthe cart.

As a further reinforcement to rigidly unite the guide members 7 and 8and the axle 1 there is provided the lower plate 11 (Figure 4) extendingbetween the wheels 2 and 3 and also forwardly and rearwardly of theaxle 1. It will be seen therefore that the guide members 7 and 8 areheld in their uniformly spaced relation at all times.

Such spacing 1s important as will later appear in insuring l easyoperation of the dumping feature of the invention now to be described.

Disposed above the dump cart chassis is a dump body 12 of usual box-likeconfiguration. Body 12 rests on a transversely extended bar 13 which issecurely united to the bottom wall of the body by suitable means and isdisposed between and in alignment with the upper ends of upright membersand 6 previously referred to. Suitable pins or other pivotal means 14connect the ends of the bar 13 with the adjacent ends of members 5 and 6so that the body 12 may tilt upwardly and downwardly about such pins.

To effect tilting of the body 12 and thereby accomplish the desireddumping of the contents carried thereby, there is pivotally connected tothe underside of the bottom wall of the body a link 15 by means of ablock 16 having a centrally projecting ear 17. The latter istransversely apertured to receive a pin 18, for example, Which alsopasses through the adjacent end of link 15 which is bifurcated tostraddle the ear 17 as is clearly apparent from Figure 5. While theforegoing connection of the body 12 with link 15 is preferred due to itsease of manufacture and assembly, other connecting means may readily beemployed.

For moving the link forwardly and upwardly to raise the forward portionof body 12, there is provided the elongated control member 19 which mayrest in superposed relation on the handle 9 with its outer endterminating adjacent the bar 111 of the latter and preferably just shortthereof. Control member 19 is constrained to move back and forth in linewith the longitudinal prolongation by means of the lateral guidingprovided by the guide members 7 and 8 between which its lower end isdisposed and also by a pin 20 upwardly projecting from handle 9intermediate its ends. Pin 20 as is apparent from Figures 1 to 3 extendsthrough a longitudinal slot 21 provided in the control member 19 and isretained therein by a headed portion 22 snugly engaging the portions ofthe control member separated by slot 21.

Connection of the lower end of control member 19 to the lower end oflink 15 is made by means similar to that provided at the upper end ofsaid link and comprises the block 23 carried by member 19 and whichincludes a centrally disposed, upstanding ear 24 which is pivoted to thebifurcated lower end of link 15 as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Abar 25 similar to bar is provided at the outer end of control member 19to enable the latter to be moved forwardly and backwardly and thuseffect dumping of the body 12.

The overhang of the anterior portion of the body is so proportioned thatthe cart may be upended to rest upon the wheels 2 and the rear end 12aof the body bed. In this position the tongue 9 will extend in asubstantially vertical position thus diminishing the amount of floorspace necessary for storage of the cart. In Figure 1 a dotted line Findicates the floor and its relative position to the upended cart whichwill rest upon the rear end 12a of the body 12 and the wheels 2 and 3.The cart will be stable in this position because the center of gravity Gwill then lie in a vertical plane which intersects the floor between thesupporting parts.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of my inventionit will be apparent that there has been provided a childs toy vehicle ofthe dump type that is easily operated from the normal standing positionof the child in front of the vehicle. The frictional mounting of thecontrol member 19 makes possible the tilting of the body 12 through anydesired angle of elevation in which position it will remain untillowered. Of course, it is possible to make the elevating components forthe body interfitted loosely so that lowering is effected by the weightof the body alone. It may be noted that in either arrangement the bodyis in a stable, elevated position when fully elevated as shown in Figure2.

While the foregoing description relates to what I deem to be the bestembodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that numerousmodifications are possible, particularly in the location and type oflink 15 employed and also the control member therefor. Also a fourwheeled vehicle such as a wagon or truck of any desired conformity, oreven a single wheeled vehicle such as a wheelbarrow could be providedwith the dumping features of this invention instead of the simple cartstructure illustrated.

I claim:

1. In a toy vehicle of the dump type having a chassis for supporting abody thereabove, a pair of lower guide members extending forwardly andcentrally of said chassis and an elongated handle having one enddisposed between said members and the other end extending for- Wardly ofsaid chassis, a control member, having its lower end disposed betweensaid guide members and extending in parallel and adjacent relation withsaid handle for a major portion of the length of the latter, meansinterconnecting said handle and member for permitting the latter to movein parallelism with the former, and a link pivotally interconnectingsaid member and said body whereby the latter may be moved into dumpingposition by movement of said member.

2. In a two-wheeled toy cart of the dump type having a chassis forsupporting a body thereabove, a pair of lower guide members extendingforwardly and centrally of said chassis and an elongated handle havingone end disposed between said members and the other end extendingforwardly and upwardly from said chassis, a control member having itslower end disposed between said guide members and extending in paralleland adjacent relation with said handle and terminating proximate the endthereof, a pin and longitudinal slot connection between said handle andsaid member, and a link pivotally interconnecting said member and saidbody whereby the latter may be moved into dumping position by movementof said members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 789,212 Duke May 9, 1905 1,373,000 Gilbert et a1 Mar. 29, 19211,390,122 Gilbert et a1. Sept. 6, 1921 1,797,471 Jones Mar. 24, 19312,425,953 Rogers Aug. 19, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date544,065 Great Britain of 1941 304,328 Italy of 1933

